“Aw man, is this gonna be a bunch of philosophical bullshit because I’m pretty over that,” Kai/u/b>/b“We are not ignoring it, no, Sophie.” Seraphina says, shaking her head to Sophie. “I’m sure there is a reason for it, though.” She does nod, as if she understands, somewhat, eyes on Lana as she speaks, and Thomas can only scowl, or write on the board with his little piece of chalk.

Thomas digs out a notepad, starting to scribble on it with a stub of pencil. Once he’s written something, he turns to show it to Seraphina, sitting in the front row.

Lana returns her attention to the student body at large “Now originally our understanding of the laws of magic suggested that sacrifice was a necessary component. This harkens from a more dour age, full of doddering people who suffered at the hands of a cruel world throughout a variety of dark ages. This colored their perception of how magic was put together.”

Lana nods to Annabelle “Oh, just go with the original title.”

Annabelle says, mollified by the prospect of education, “M’kay.“

“They sort of relate,” Seraphina suggests.

“Kai, darling, we’re an Ivy in all but name. There’s going to be some philosophy.” Derek muses dryly as he doodles on his phone. He squints up to Thomas, looking to that notepad, his gaze then drifting to Lana as if trying to take in the two potentially conflicting messages.

For those paying attention to what Thomas just showed Seraphina, it appears to be a scrawled instruction with a bullet-pointed list.

Lana smiles cheerfully “But in truth, the first rule, sacrifice is a bit silly. Does one sacrifice when they do their morning situps? Perhaps, but really it isn’t a sacrifice at all. Sure it might hurt a little in the short term, but in the long term they’re improving themselves. It’s not sacrifice, it’s perseverance! And magic is the same.”

Thomas turns, looking at Lana with an incredulous shake of his head.

Sophie says “I thought it was fantastic. “

“Well, you’re consuming energy – calories – to stimulate hypertrophy, or muscle growth. There’s a sacrifice somewhere in there – the time used as well, for instance.” Derek states skeptically after Lana, tilting his head with some slight puzzlement as he doodles onto his phone screen.

Seraphina sighs at Thomas and starts to gather her things up. “Why didn’t you bring them with you? I was getting interested!”

Upon entering, Jasper turns to slip towards the seats and take an empty seat.

“Darling? Okay then, schnookums I’ll try to keep that in mind,” Kai tells Derek dryly and grins at him a little, he gives a wave to Jasper when he enters and looks over to Sophie, “I agree, I am fantastic,” and he waves at Eloa too, “Sera, what’d he write?! Is class cancelled?”

Kaelyn shifts in her seat nervously, rolling her braid round her fingers as the confusion is sort of sorted out. Eyes flit between the two up front, but hastily digs an old pen out of her pocket to right notes on the back of the handout.

Lana gives a delightfully unimpressive flex of her arm and winks to the class “No pain, no gain right?” She coughs and puts her arm down awkwardly. “So the process of spending one’s life energy to power a spell isn’t really a sacrifice, not in any permanent sense. It’s no different than exercise.” She laughs and nods to Derek “You’re not wrong! But no one thinks of it as sacrifice, not like they did back a thousand years ago. When you think of it that way, you’re just robbing yourself of the opportunity to improve, to grow stronger!”

Sneaking in from the back, Eloa waves back at Kai before following Jasper to take a seat trying not to be too obstructive given she’s late. She gives an apologetic duck of her head towards Thomas as she slips in next to Annabelle.

Sophie winces and touches her ear, “The fuck.”

Thomas stares at Seraphina, now, incredulous. His patience, it seems, is thin. He snaps something at her: “Because they are to counter this spell!” he says, though of course nothing comes out.

Sophie says “Goddamn it, don’t fucking yell! “

Lola says “Who is that gods damn gravelly voice?“

“I just I’m late,” Jasper murmurs, nodding towards the others as he turns to look at the lectern.

Thomas glances down at his phone.

“Wait I get what you mean but isn’t the truth that the primitives back then probably weren’t refined like us and had to like, kill someone to release their mana into the air to use for spells?” Kai calls to Lana and glances to Lola and Sophie, then back to Derek, “Cupcake, gumdrop? Love of my life?! Apple of my eyes?!” he asks, half sprawling to the side as he reaches out to Derek, “Give me a hug my darling D!”

Lana smiles apologetically “Truly it’s more about mind state. The old mindstate of sacrifice kept you from growing as a person. That’s why you should adopt the new idea that the first principle of magic isn’t sacrifice, it’s persevance through adversity for strength! Or… maybe a shorter way of thinking about it, is training!”

Lola says “Sandra has a little pent-up rage, it sounds like. She should come to Professor Hale’s class- Miss Lana is here. She’s a therapist.“

Sophie says “Wow, you need therapy.“

Thomas shakes his head at Lana’s awful, terrible perversion of his lesson.

Lana nods quickly to Kai “Or they thought they did! But that was merely a reflection of a darker time. Not the one we live in.”

Seraphina makes a little tut noise at her roof of her mouth, and steps out of the lecture room.

Sophie says “I’m sorry, but can you handle this off comms and without all of us who weren’t being hurtful included? “

Eloa frowns as she leans in to read Annabelle’s notes.

Thomas looks up at Eloa as he looks at his phone. He pauses, then taps something in response.

Derek squints at Kai. “…Are you high?” he just asks bluntly, a slight smirk curling at the corner of his lips as his stylus continues to drift on his phoen screen. He looks up to the lecture, tilting his head. “So, what does this self-help narrative have to do with magical principles?” he wonders.

Sophie says “No meat, just chaos.“

Thomas touches the tip of his nose and points emphatically at Derek, since this guy -gets it-.

Lana continues with a cheerful chirp above the din “Now the next principle that is poorly understood is sympathy. Many in the past perverted the concept of sympathy as something that was meant to transfer misery, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Magical sympathy is about connection to your community, bolstering the power of your abilities by working together for a common purpose.”

Kai shakes his head at Derek, “Not right now, but I might get high after class. Did you want something?” he asks her and sits up straight again, he nods to Derek in agreement, but he looks to Thomas and Lana, tilting his head a bit.

Walking back into the lecture room in a sway of hips, and ruffles, Seraphina approaches Thomas with a stack of books. “Your requested books, Mister Hale.”

While Lana speaks, Lola leans back in her chair and begins to rummage through her satchel- a mushroom, plucked fresh out of a sealed jar, is tucked between her teeth and chewed slowly. She shudders, and blinks, and after a while those baby blue eyes begin to subtle glow white and icy blue. Her vision seems unfocused at first, but eventually she looks to someone and begins to scan him up and down expectantly, swallowing that pale white mushroom with a harsh gulp that says it tasted horrible- but she needs to satisfy her curiosity.

Lana shakes her head ruefully “Now in the past it was believed that ritualists could transfer the darker aspects; costs or curses to people through the principle of sympathy. Which was true, this was in fact something that could be done…”

While Lana speaks, Lola leans back in her chair and begins to rummage through her satchel- a mushroom, plucked fresh out of a sealed jar, is tucked between her teeth and chewed slowly. She shudders, and blinks, and after a while those baby blue eyes begin to subtle glow white and icy blue. Her vision seems unfocused at first, but eventually she looks to Thomas and begins to scan him up and down expectantly, swallowing that pale white mushroom with a harsh gulp that says it tasted horrible- but she needs to satisfy her curiosity.

“Still can be! It’s a special secret that the Conclave holds!” Kai calls to Lana, helpfully, his lips quirked into a little grin, his pupils dilated a bit.

Thomas takes the books from Seraphina — some sort of yearbook, an old tome, and a dictionary — and spreads them out on a corner of the table in the front of the room, shooting Lana a look. At Kai’s words, his expression swivels back to him, but then he is digging in his things for a small vial of white powder — a salt-shaker? — as he sets the dictionary and the yearbook inside a circle of salt, starting to tap it out.

“So, like. The Conclave holds some secret equation?” Annabelle asks tiredly, pencil scratching a storm on the loose leaf.

Derek’s doodling has taken to distracted multitasking; he seems to have split his screen and now seems to be shitposting in class on half of his screen while still suggesting at notating on the other – it all looks like doodling, just the same. “That sounds like Orderite propaganda.” he states in half-jest with a brief grin as if expecting a response. Doodle doodle.

Derek’s doodling has taken to distracted multitasking; he seems to have split his screen and now seems to be shitposting in class on half of his screen while still suggesting at notating on the other – it all looks like doodling, just the same. “That sounds like Orderite propaganda.” he states in half-jest with a brief grin as if expecting a response. Doodle doodle. (re)

Lana coughs “But… Yes Kai, I’ve been informed, BUT the true power of sympathy is when people work together for a common purpose. Where cost isn’t transfered, but shared. Through this reinterpretation of a moldy old principle, the effects on both the society and self can be magnified far beyond what our predecessors could ever have dreamed.” she chirps.

Annabelle watches Lola bleed on the ground and do blood magic with just a little-lot of horror.

Lana nods to Annabelle “Yes, the Conclave learned a great deal about sharing, though they’re still discovering more effective ways to do that everyday. For instance, how it can often backfire to share without consent.” she chirps.

Kai makes a face at Lana’s response and looks around the room, “Who… why are Derek’s parents paying for this nonsense? I came here to learn magic, not about like… communism. Or… whatever this shit is,” he peers to Derek, “Right?”

“Uh oh, bad boy,” Lola chirps happily as she finishes scanning over Thomas’s form, her eyes glittering with amusement as she speaks over Lana, saying, after definitely having not done any form of blood magic on the ground (?) “I see the residuals of the one who cursed poor Professor Hale… It’s not who I was expecting,” says the fungal witch with a grin.

Thomas looks up as he begins to organize his things, opening the old tome to some page. He begins to run his finger down the page, mouthing words, but no sound comes out. There is a frown, as he looks over at Lana, and then tries to focus again on the page of the book.

Those in the room with a professional level of ritual knowledge might know that trying to cast a ritual without speaking is possible, but is considerably more dangerous.

Constance observes Lola with a tilted head, clearly intrigued.

Sophie glances at Lola curiously then back to Thomas.

“Oh really?” Kai asks, brightening as he leans toward Lola, his eyebrows raised, “Who did it?” he asks with a broad grin, he glances from her to Eloa and back, waggling his brows a little.

Lana goes back to the chalk board “Let’s stay focused, we’re almost through this, and soon you’ll be off for whatever you’d like to do tonight.” she says with no less cheerfullness. “Now then, one way to avoid some interesting consequences of the Conclave’s old methods is to work together hand in hand, through one’s community to accomplish one’s goals.”

Glancing over just as curiously, Eloa gives Kai a small smile before turning to Lola.

Sophie blinks at Lana, “We still have forty minutes left?”

Lana smiles cheerfully out at the class.. apparently done with the chalk as she flicks it at Thomas’ book while he’s working. “This was meant to be an hour lecture was what I was lead to believe. I’m sorry, I’m just the guest lecturer, but I will open up for questions for a bit after the lecture’s done!”

Lana tilts her head “Ah, but with the laws of sacrifice and sympathy corrected, let’s move on to some practical applications for using magic for self-improvement!”

Constance is leaning backwards with her hands crossed behind her head, clearly amused by how Lana has hijacked the lesson judging by the smirk on her face.

Kai nods firmly at Lana, “Okay. /That/ at least sounds a little more interesting,” he agrees and runs his fingers up through his hair, glancing over to Lola.

“Hand cultivating hand, building a community through structure and merit.” Derek supposes softly after Lana with a squint. “I must say though, surely these participants aren’t looked at as equal actors?” He states this with seeming disbelief, scratching at his cheek idly. “Um…” he just hums, seeming lost in this lesson.

“Kai, if you want to have this conversation, we can,” Lola tells Kai with a feigned, forced smile in his direction, directly ignoring Eloa’s curiosity. “But if you’d rather us stay peaceful the way we have been, I suggest you never passive aggressively threaten me with your body language again,” the witch warns, grinning, and making a little ‘boop’ motion in the direction of Kai’s nose. “Sweet little bean.”

Lana smiles cheerfully “Now I’m no sorceror, but many of my good friends are, and it’s been really eye opening as a therapist to hear how they consider the nature of their rituals. For instance, many of us have habits we’d like to break, yet when one considers the affects of for instance, mind magic, one typically imagines using them on others. Why? Who’s mind should be more important to us than our own?”

Thomas continues his ritual, as best as he can. He produces a pen knife, slicing his index finger, and begins to page through first the dictionary and then the yearbook with his left hand, bloody-fingered, even as his right hand repeatedly traces the same set of lines in the open tome.

Lana tsks at Lola and Kai “If I don’t get through this I’m going to have to assign homework.” she says mournfully. Her sorrow seems less than sincere.

Rolling her eyes Eloa sighs softly as she fingers her cross. Runes start to flare up on her skin as she draws them, her skin lighting up like she’s swallowed the moon.

“What?” Kai asks Lola in genuine confusion, “How do you… passive aggressively threaten with body language?” he blinks a few times and leans back from her, frowning, though he looks from her to Thomas and then to Lana, sliding a hand into his hoodie pocket.

Annabelle slumps into her seat, quietly taking notes as people start doing their rituals in the middle of class.

“The person of interest?” Jasper wonders of Lana. “Like if you are tasked to know what that person’s mind contains or if you have enemies that you need to know their plans so you can be a step ahead?”

Lana turns her attention now to the class at large “But there’s more than just breaking habits to consider. What about improving your space? Plants love the light, and people spend thousands to set up greenhouses for them, but imagine if you could just create your own little pocket of morning sunshine. Gardens would spring up, food would be plentiful… But let’s stick to the personal. Can you imagine how nice you could make your personal space, even the poorest student could turn their dorm room into a paradise.”

Lana smiles cheerfully to Jasper “If this, if that, when this when that. You’re speaking of things that happen only once in a while if ever to any given person. You know what is your constant companion? What is always with you? Your own mind!”

Kai’s pupils are like saucers at this point, a broad grin on his face as he looks about at the various faces in the room, texting away as he tries to follow everything that’s going on. Eventually he looks to Lana and nods in agreement, “Yeah! I sell rituals to improve your space. Like always making it a comfortable temperature, or a nice, soothing rainstorm outside… or always night,” he nods at her firmly, “Go on!”

“Regardless on how a ritual is performed, by blood or by sheer force of nature, it still costs. Whether it is your own cost, or at the cost of another.” Seraphina says, “Yes?” She purses her lips then, a glance again to Lola, a moment. “No matter how, it is still sacrifice.” She adds, “I think.”

“…Relative to before.” Derek dryly muses after Lana’s supposition of poorest students, his elbow on his desk and his chin propped up, giving a puff of air up towards his hair in a soft ‘pff’.

Lana gestures to Kai “You see? For those of you suffering with seasonal depression, which by all rights will be probably as much as a quarter of you, can you imagine the implications of what Kai is saying for you?”

Constance murmurs something that sounds like ‘this is fucking fantastic’ to herself.

Lola snickers under her breath as she texts, turning her gaze back towards Kai, eyes twinkling with amusement before she rises out of her seat and then swaps to one directly beside him, tap tap tapping away at her phone.

Thomas continues the ritual he works on, his finger — bloody-tipped — flipping through pages.

Lana speaks to Seraphina shakes her head “You could easily call it a sacrifice, but you are choosing to view it that way, and by making that choice you are limiting yourself. If you think of it instead in the same way you would think of any other effort… Things that are all technically sacrifices, you can weave it with a positive optimism that will carry through to your own spirit.”

“I see,” Jasper nods his head towards Lana. “So a clear and calm mind should be needed for concentration or things will go south. I will note all that.”

Kai glances to Lola curiously and lifts his brows at her a little, though he grins, his pupils still ridiculously dilated at the moment, “Hey how’s it going?” he asks her chipperly, but he looks from her to Lana and sighs.

Runes continue to glow on Eloa’s skin as she sends off a few texts, giving a sorrowful look towards Thomas.

Kaelyn tilts her head to the side with a little frown, “But, if you alter things like that. Say the rainstorm. Isn’t it possible to mess with something you shouldn’t? Something that can’t be fixed without more issues?”

Sophie says “What the fuck Eloa!?“

Faster, faster, faster: Thomas flips through yearbook pages, now, his lips moving as he mumbles words that will not escape his mouth. There is an attitude of some hopelessness, though: with a look up at Lola, he considers, even as he turns back to his ritual as the pages turn.

Eloa says “Uh sorry pressed something wrong on phone. Who would’ve thought that changes the lights.“

Lana nods to Kaelyn “Indeed, and that brings us to our final point in the this part of the lecture, the importance of community involvement in magic. Everything a ritualist does has the potential to have impacts throughout the community. So why then has the community never been involved with such decisions like they would be for instance if you wanted to put up a windmill in the middle of town?”

Constance snorts. “Here I thought it was a power play to make yourself the room’s lights instead.”

Thomas snorts — he can snort, at least — when Lana says ‘community involvement.’

Kai looks up from his phone to Sophie, then Eloa and back, he laughs at Eloa’s response, “Hilarious…” and looks back Lana’s way, “Windmills cause cancer! They rust in eight months!”

“If your words result in a death from ritual overexertion, would you be held liable?” Derek wonders dryly to Lana, before his green-eyes flit to Eloa as she presumably hits the lights, squinting in thought, before a puff of air escapes Derek’s nose at Constance’s observation. “They also murder birds – it must be true, I read it on the internet.” he adds with dry amusement after Kai’s statement.

Kaelyn doesn’t look too convinced by this, but remains quiet all the same listening.

“How is it a limitation? No matter how optimistic that I go into a ritual with Mister Hale, it is always at some cost to myself or to Mister Hale. The other night, for example, we found an old bookstore and the proprietor had miscalculated a ritual and became … the best way to describe it is a cenobot…” Seraphina pauses. “I think that’s what they were called in Hell Raiser? Cenobyte?” She shrugs. “I sacrificed myself to fight the beast and Mister Hale sacrificed hisself to shed the blood needed to put the poor soul down. We worked together for the same goal, and both at a cost to ourselves.”

Sitting in the middle of the lecture hall with apparently lights that are way too easy to turn off, Eloa shrugs a little.

Lana smiles cheerfully over to Kaelyn “And so you have stumbled upon why it is so important to involve others with magic, not to just go it alone but to consult and consider as a community.”

Cadalie walks in, dressed and messy like it’s her sleeping hour, looking around with a slow blink.

Seraphina smiles a little brightly at Thomas, a sweetness there at the corners of her mouth, some small solace for his sore throat.

Kai looks to Derek, his eyes still quite dilated despite the light from Eloa and the room’s lights, “Poor little birds. Let’s dig some more coal,” he looks back to Lana, he tilts his head and says, “A ceno what?” he asks, leaning forward when he hears Seraphina’s word, peering over at her, “Ugh…” he looks from her to Cadalie and gives the woman a wave, resting back against his seat.

And then it is over: Thomas stops flipping pages, but it as if some great wind suddenly rustles through the lecture all, whipping up papers across the hall.

Looking down, Thomas looks at the open page, his bloody finger on a particular photo. He slowly looks up, staring out at the students.

Annabelle raises her hand for Cadalie, sitting up straighter in what has become a nearly 90 degree slouch on the fold out chair.

Glowing, Eloa smiles and waves at Sophie.

Kai swallows when Thomas settles his gaze on him and lifts his hand, ever the showman, he snaps his fingers a single time and tells Thomas, “Speak,” with a little quirk of his lips.

Lana turns to Thomas “Oh, is your throat feeling better? Did you want to finish up the lecture?” she asks with a sickeningly sweet smile.

Cadalie waves back to Kai slowly, her mood improving through mild osmosis of emotion through the room. “..Uh. My. This looks a little- I’ll just sit down.” She decides in a dimming volume lesser than a whisper.

Constance gestures towards Cadalie.

Constance says “C’mere. “

“Mr. Ashford,” Thomas says, trying out his words, staring at Kai.

Cadalie shimmies through the tiered seating, setting herself by Constance, though her arm rolls over the back of her seat to give a glance to Annabelle behind.

Seraphina raises her brows at Kai. “Huh…”

“You’re welcome! I’ve cured you of your sore throat, you can now uh… you know, do your regularly scheduled lecture,” Kai tells the man, chuckling nervously as he glances from him to Lana and back.

Very slowly, Thomas turns from Kai to Lana, looking between them. “Miss Thompson –” His words are dangerous; indeed, one might see in him some seething anger, like the volcano in Redstone shaking before it is about the burst.

“Calm, Mister Hale. Breathe.” Seraphina says, though there is amusement alight in her eyes.

Kai glances sidelong for the door and starts to push himself up and out of his seat slowly while Thomas is distracted.

Blinking in curiously, Eloa turns to look at Kai then at Lana, trying to work out what’s going on as she comes to sit back next to Annabelle. She’s still glowing and there’s a soft soothing aura that washes over those around her.

“…Oooooooh.” Derek intones, a Cheshire grin crossing his expression as he sits back in his seat, green eyes flitting between Lana and Thomas with expectation.

Lana smiles and nods to Thomas “Oh it’s all right, I didn’t mind a bit, but you are very welcome.”

“You better run!” Seraphina sing songs.

Lola giggles faintly as Thomas shifts his anger between Kai and Lana, Fae mischief ringing through the air in the form of her tittering, girlish laughter. Glee is in her eyes as she chants: “Ooooh, someone’s in trouuuubleeee!” in a rather childish fashion, though apart from this little interruption, she keeps to herself and just watches the proceedings like a hawk.

At Seraphina’s instruction to Kai, Thomas’s head swivels back swiftly towards the young man in the audience. With his finger still bloody, he begins to trace a sigil in the air: and now he has words to speak, starting to chant.

“No no no! I helped you, don’t cast on me!” Kai protests to Thomas and lifts his hand, throwing up his magic shield around himself and makes a gesture of his own, warding himself from foreign magic, “It’s okay! Your voice is back now!”

“It’s great, Miss Thompson.” Annabelle looks up from her phone, slapping the device on the desk. “But like. It’s not my lesson.”

“No no no! I helped you, don’t cast on me!” Kai protests to Thomas and lifts his hand, throwing up his magic shield around himself and makes a gesture of his own, warding himself from foreign magic, “It’s okay! Your voice is back now!” [repost for places]

Cristal runs in, out of breath, trying to grab her notebook and a pen before she plops down.

Shiloh follows in after Cristal, looking confused.

Seraphina just smiles at Kai, so sweet. “So going to get it, I bet.”

Lana glances over at Kai with a frown, mouthing ‘why didn’t you run?’

Cristal looks around, trying to get her bearings. She spots Derek and hisses. “PSSST!! DER DER! WHAT GOIN ON??”

Looking very confused around the room, Eloa huddles by Annabelle and just watches curiously as her runes disappear.

“Chaos.” Derek looks up from shitposting on his phone, wholly having given up the illusion of notetaking at this point to Cristal, still scribbling – though now moreso in the chat.

Perhaps Kai shouldn’t have hesitated: Thomas finishes drawing the sigil, and then suddenly, the lights seem to flicker — flicker and lengthen, as if they turn into strange, grasping ghosts. Like some awful dancing carnival here in the basement, those shadows reach out, their arms reaching out for Kai. When they touch him, they are cold, and they carry promises of fear. “Mr. Ashford,” he tells Kai, full of fury. “There are consequences for trying to beard a sorcerer in his den!”

Cristal stops her annoying whispering and stares at Thomas, mouth agape. “Awww shit!” Her eyes are wide, glued to whatever the hell is going on.

Sophie stands up, “Wait, Professor.” SHe says to Thomas, “He was paid to do a ritual, which you know was his choice. But shouldn’t the person who hired him be more at fault?”

Lana moves out of the front area of the classroom as the duel/disciplining/magical stuff starts, blending in without too much difficulty with the students just barely younger than her.

“Badass!” Kai can’t help but ejaculate when Thomas’s shadow arms reach out and touch him, he’s still giddy, yet twitchy as if nervous. He tries to throw himself to the side, but the shadows grasp him and he calls out, “Beard… what?!” he asks in confusion.

“There is the saying, ‘fuck around, find out,” Jasper turns to tell Kai, resting his head on one hand. “And you fucked around, Kai.”

Cadalie lounges back into the foldable chair, keeping an eye half on her phone- where the lecture has gone, and her ears open to the words around her. “Well, alrighty.”

Perhaps Kai shouldn’t have hesitated: Thomas finishes drawing the sigil, and then suddenly, the lights seem to flicker — flicker and lengthen, as if they turn into strange, grasping ghosts. Like some awful dancing carnival here in the basement, those shadows reach out, their arms reaching out for Kai. When they touch him, they are cold, and they carry promises of fear. “Mr. Ashford,” he tells Kai, full of fury. “There are consequences for trying to beard a sorcerer in his den!”

“Badass!” Kai can’t help but ejaculate when Thomas’s shadow arms reach out and touch him, he’s still giddy, yet twitchy as if nervous. He tries to throw himself to the side, but the shadows grasp him and he calls out, “Beard… what?!” he asks in confusion.

Derek’s green-eyed gaze looks up from his phone to Thomas, blinking once or twice and staring as he watches the shadows go long, and he draws his arms closer to himself as if feeling suddenly chillier. “…Goodness.” he murmurs more to himself than anything, giving Kai a sidelong glance.

Constance’s eyes are on Lana, her expression still sparkling with amusement as Lana melts into the crowd, ignoring the Kai disciplining.

Eloa winces in reaction to Annabelle then leans in to whisper some more.

“What did you do, Mister Hale?” Seraphina asks, the curiosity hitting her tone like it often does at very interesting things. She watches Kai, biting her bottom lip, then at Lana, shaking her head.

Cristal follows up Seraphina’s question with a puzzled look.

Sophie glances at Lana, “Did he like…not fuck you good or something? Did he turn you down? What’s the lesson here?”

Kaelyn sinks into her chair as all this happens, her eyes a little wide.

Eloa nods encouragingly and reaches out to hug her shoulders gently.

Lana looks innocently at Sophie “I was trying to help out a colleague. I’ll have you know he approved the handouts before class.”

Cristal opens her mouth wide at Sophie’s comment. “Ohmigawd. I love class.”

“I doubt those were the ones he approved!” Seraphina says to Lana, with a little chuckle.

Lola’s nostrils flare wildly as she breathes in the scent of… Something on the air that almost seems to make her melt and her eyes roll back. It’s enough that she turns towards Kai beside her and scoots a little closer, watching those shadows overtake his limbs slowly but surely. She giggles and wiggles back and forth in her seat, eyes wide with wonder as the two men have a subtle arcane duel in the middle of class.

Lana nibbles her lip, looking at Seraphina with big blue eyes “Mimiographs are so complicated! I might have messed up a few of the copies.”

Seraphina giggles at Lana. “So devious!”

Kai groans out as something within him changes from the touch of the shadow, he gives his head a shake, he remains terrified as he wizard-duels Thomas, distracted by the others in the class room. He decides not to run, nor to attack directly, instead her tries to gather up his concentration as he speaks to Thomas, infusing his words with his will, “This has been a frustrating experience but just stop for a moment, take a few breaths before you do anything you regret.

Cristal/span>/spanKai groans out as something within him changes from the touch of the shadow, he gives his head a shake, he remains terrified as he wizard-duels Thomas, distracted by the others in the class room. He decides not to run, nor to attack directly, instead her tries to gather up his concentration as he speaks to Thomas, infusing his words with his will, “This has been a frustrating experience but just stop for a moment, take a few breaths before you do anything you regret. [re for places]

Cristal/span>/spanFrowning as a full on wizard dual takes place, Eloa beckons Kaelyn to come closer to her and Annabelle.

Sophie watches with rapt fascination, leaning into her seat as she flits her gaze between the professor and the student.

Derek at this point has fully clocked out mentally. His attention drifts forward to the dueling Kai and Thomas with quiet intrigue,

Anger seems to melt away from Thomas — he takes a step back, and as he does, the shadows recede a little around Kai threatening him, but giving Kai now a little bit of room, literally, to breathe. His tone is more calm when he bites back, “Fine: I will let you flee, Mr. Ashford, if you tell me who hired you to work this magic.” It’s some nod to Seraphina’s suggestion as the raven-haired wizard looks around the room as he says it, emerald eyes probing — wondering who was behind Kai’s spell.

Cadalie looks up from her phone, tucking it into a jeans pocket as she stares forward, cheek to knuckle.

Jasper winkles his nose as he watches Kai and Thomas. “This feels unnatural, but I can’t look away,” he comments in a hushed voice.

Kaelyn cautiously moves to the side and down a few seats to settle closer to Eloa.

“It’s awful and terrible and the words suck.” Annabelle sniffles.

Annabelle says “Er- wards.“

Cristal’s looks more and more out of it as she sinks into her seat, but she has at least the wherewithal to press ‘record’ on h er cell phone.

Thomas mutters something — low words, and then the shadows begin to circle around Kai. They do not move into attack, not yet: no, they are waiting, as the librarian returns his focus, but they threaten some awful cold terror. “Just tell me who did it,” he says. “Tell me, Kai, and I will not stop you from leaving.”

“Are you okay Kaelyn?” Eloa hisses over at the other woman while she stays by Annabelle’s side. At least being by Eloa is somewhat soothing as teacher and student battle it out.

Thomas mutters something — low words, and then the shadows begin to circle around Kai. They do not move into attack, not yet: no, they are waiting, as the librarian returns his focus, but they threaten some awful cold terror. “Just tell me who did it,” he says. “Tell me, Kai, and I will not stop you from leaving.”

Kai blows out a long breath at the very reasonable, charitable even, offer that Thomas gives him. He licks his lips quickly and looks from the man to the shadows around him, shaking a bit all over. Adrenaline, fear, both? He just shakes his head a bit at Thomas, “I can’t do that, Professor, but it wasn’t personal, not on my end. I was hired for a job and that’s as far as it goes. I understand… you’re upset. And that I’m not blameless, but giving up my clients is bad for business,” he glances over his shoulder at the rest of the room, a little red spot has developed at the side of his eyeball, as if he had been hit with a harsh impact.

Kaelyn bobs her head at Eloa, taking a small breath before answering. “Y-yeah. Just a little, um, unexpected. It doesn’t… feel right?”

Annabelle leans forward over the tiers, hands curled over a lip of wood, hissing over to Cristal from atop. “Um.. H-hey, are you Cristal?”

Cristal/span>/spanCristal says that to Annabelle.

Kai turns his gaze back to Thomas, tucks his phone away and lifts his hands up a little, “You could just let it go and forgive me professor, I was just the gun, the weapon being used,” he murmurs to the man, once more pushing some of his will into his words as he gazes up at the older man, a hint of defiance in his tone, gaze and overall body language.

Lana moves to stand finally, smiling gently to Thomas “Mr. Hale, I think Ms. Kane would probably prefer to discipline the students herself.” she says “I think she might be very upset if she were to miss the opportunity to ensure Kai learned his lesson personally. I can escort him to her. As to questioning, I’m sure the perpetrator was one of those fae that was bothering you earlier.”

Cadalie’s eyes are dilated just enough to be on chemicals of her own, though they must be downers from this tier-forward kindred. “Hi. You’re going to Disney, right? I’m Anna.”

Kai turns his gaze back to Thomas, tucks his phone away and lifts his hands up a little, “You could just let it go and forgive me professor, I was just the gun, the weapon being used,” he murmurs to the man, once more pushing some of his will into his words as he gazes up at the older man, a hint of defiance in his tone, gaze and overall body language. [re for places]

“Well this is most uh combative class Eloa has been to. If normally isn’t like this. Normally is just listen and take notes. Today is um special.” Eloa comments to Kaelyn softly as she watches both professor and student.

Cristal stares at Cadalie. “There’s a Disney trip???!!!”

Cadalie didn’t say that, oopsie.

Sophie furrows her brow at Lana, “Is Miss Kane around, I thought she was away? Or do you have some secret knowledge of her location?”

Cristal stares at Annabelle. “There’s a Disney trip???!!!”

Lana nods to Sophie “She got back a little while ago.”

“Same,” Jasper moves closer towards Eloa, a frown on his face. “At first, I thought it was something from that restricted section that was afflicting Mr. Hale.”

“Yeah. It’s all Wonderful or something.” Annabelle’s finger air-quotes thump on the wood with bunny ears. “Yeah. You’re going on it with like.. Well- your friend? And Jak.”

Now when Kai’s psychic force replies back, Thomas shakes his head. “Forgiveness is something earned,” he tells Kai with steely eyes — with determination in his words. “I have given you a fair opportunity,” he says. “A -bargain- — but one pays a price in rejecting such a contract, Kai Ashford, as much as one receives a reward in accepting it. This is, as you say…” Intimidation looms as the shadows begin to gather. “Just business.”

Reaching out, Eloa touches Jasper’s arm as she waits for the climax of the fight. “We missing some popcorn..”

swallows, nodding just as slowly. “Yeah. So, okay well are you aware you’re going to Disney?” Annabelle asks, getting lost on her own non-sequitur.

Cristal blink blink blink blinks at Annabelle. “Ya, why? I gonna bring cash too just in case.”

“In the end, it does not matter who, does it?” Seraphina suggests to Thomas, “You have your voice, Lana has taught what she had wanted, and Kai … well. I don’t know.” She glances over at Kai, tilting her head. “Is Kai. I’m sure if you pay him later, he will say, anyway.” She asks, “Isn’t that right, Kai, you’ll tell Mister Hale who paid you with a little monetary assistance from him, too?”

Now fear begins to rise: everyone in the room can feel it, radiating off of the black ghosts as they reach again for Kai. They dive for him, like stooping hawks, and Thomas reaches out with his left hand — his sinister hand — and he twists it into a sudden clenched fist, blood dripping from his cut finger. As he does, he chants: his words blazing out in some infernal tongue that sounds like Latin’s perverse cousin.

Cadalie watches the conversation between her daughter and Cristal with a dull remark of her brow, and slowly, comes to a stand.

And then, Cadalie walks out.

Annabelle takes a second glance over the front of the room, covering her mouth to avoid a scream as she looks on in horror.

Cristal turns her attention back to the front, very visibly rubbing her eyes and staring. “Holly FUCK!!!” She starts to tremble in fear, frozen in her seat.

Light spills from Eloa’s cross in-between her breasts but she doesn’t seem to be scared of the shadows as she sits near Kaelyn, Annabelle and Jasper, her skin glowing as if to dispel the shadows.

Slowly, Seraphina stands from her seat, to move away from what is before her, words halted on her lips.

Kai turns his head a bit to Seraphina and points her way, “No! I wouldn’t give up my client. That’s bad for business,” he turns his gaze back to Thomas and lifts his hands, but he’s distracted, trapped in the shadows and only manages to whip up a half-assed little ward against magic in general. Despite that protection, he’s shaking all over and was he stumbles back he trips and falls down, bumping his head against the lecturn in the process, “Fuck!”

Jasper gently holds onto Eloa, sticking with the light while he grimaces at the shadows.

Lana calls out more firmly “Mr. Hale! You are not to injure your students on campus. Kai will be taken to Ms. Kane’s office and we’ll go over his phone records to figure out who paid him. Now stop this immediately!” she declares, coming out strong… And ending with a bit of a squeak.

Kaelyn shivers, making herself seem smaller. Green eyes are now wide, watching the shadows and the man behind them with darting motions. Her fingers curl around her chosen seat as she fights fight or flight instincts.

Cristal squeaks out at Kai. “Damn son, just tell em!! Or we all gonna be fucked in here!!” She looks around at the shadows in fear.

Kai slowly gets back up to his feet and touches the side of his head, he pulls his fingers away, wet with a little bit of blood and he looks to Lana and back to Thomas, he droops his head and sticks his hands up above his head in surrender.

Derek’s breathing hastens somewhat, seeming taken by the happenings towards the front of the room, gaze drifting from Kai, to Thomas, then to the floor and to the shadows, then back to Kai, and he holds his arms close as if giving himself a hug; his attention drifts to Lana with brief interest – but the downturn in her cadence has him worried again.

Constance watches Thomas carefully from her lacksadaiscal position in the back of the class, one of her eyebrows raised in question above her amused little smirk.

Annabelle looks around the room to see if someone’s about to do something. She comes to a shivering stand as she pushes herself up off the tier, looking like she’s about to try for a Hero Moment.

It’s not to be. She freezes halfway down and looks at the shadows coiling like patches of ice, hyperventilating on her approach.

Shiloh purses his lips as his brow furrows, a frown marring his expression as he looks around warily.

As Kai raises his hands, the shadows seem to coil around Kai — they envelop him, as fear floods his mind. Thomas begins to stalk towards him, even as there seems like those shadows are all coiling power, binding Kai tight. Some word is spoken — magic, to force the young man back awake. “Never fear,” Thomas tells Lana. “I am not going to hurt Mr. Ashford.”

“Perhaps this is the lesson on transgression? Maybe a little of sympathy too.” Seraphina suggests to Lana. “You cannot blame him for being upset though, can you? All he wants is a name, afterall.”

“HE’S TORTURING SOMEONE WITH SHADOWS!” Annabelle screams at Seraphina incredulously, eyes brimmed red as blood travels underneath her knee in her sweatpants and colors the fabric. “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?”

Lana speaks to Seraphina with a wry look “I can and I do.”

Thomas looks up from where Kai lies pinned to the ground by writhing shadow. “Magic is transgression,” he says to class — lecturing. “It isn’t sympathy, or empathy, or community,” he says, his voice echoing. “It -violates-. That is what magic does: in small ways and big, it is the power to break rules.”

Wincing a little as Kai falls and hits his head, Eloa shifts forward a little seeming torn between being a good student and a good friend. When Annabelle goes, she shifts a bit closer until she’s sitting at the edge of the stairs but she doesn’t interfere.

“Please don’t violate me with your shadow tentacles!” Kai suddenly belts out when Thomas mentions violating, though he squirms against the shadows pinning him down ineffectually, his hazel eyes bright and wild as he looks around the room.

Lana steps closer to Kai, bending down to check on him “Shush Kai.” she says with distracted irritation.

His breathing quickened, Jasper lowers himself in his seat with his body shuddering.

“I do not know your name,” Seraphina says to Annabelle, “But there is no reason to shout at me like that. I understand the situation, but it is a magic class. You are getting first hand experience with it. Is that not why you came to a class about magic?”

“Like you did with your spell, Mr. Ashford?” Thomas asks Kai, his emerald eyes seeming like they are on fire. He looks up at the room, asking: “Does anyone have any questions about the -nature of magic-?” he asks them.

Lana frowns a bit, looking over Kai carefuly, her attention lingering on his neck. “Did he bite you somehow?” she asks softly.

Constance snorts in deep amusement. “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ the Buddha,” she comments, drily towards Lana and Kai. “Now I’m imagining the carnage if Professor Hale ever bit anyone. I’m sure Kai just sold his blood to some leech in the Court.”

“I didn’t… I didn’t put things into your mouth or other… uh…” Kai blinks a few times and looks aside to Lana, “Uh… I don’t think so?” he replies uncertainly, peering up at Thomas, “It was only an hour… so like… even?!” he tries to bargain.

“Kai had no problem in casting magic, albiet magic to make it so Mister Hale could not speak, but magic all the same.” Seraphina says, softly. “He … what was it Derek said?” She looks at Derek for his confirmation.

“Absolutely not!” Annabelle recoils from Seraphina, wiggling her lame leg to get her taller. “Wh-what kind of delusion are you under that ANY of this class period was a lesson? If you want a lesson in retribution-”

Annabelle says “Professor Thomas is torturing a student in class. Is anyone willing to help?“

Annabelle says “L-like shadows pinning him to the ground and rituals and stuff!“

“Miss… This lecture was taken over by Lana, clearly knowing full well that Mister Hale could not speak before he even tried.” Seraphina tells Annabelle.

“Miss… This lecture was taken over by Lana, clearly knowing full well that Mister Hale could not speak before he even tried.” Seraphina tells Annabelle. ( re for crowd)

“Everyone tell your friends! Gadfly services are all about discretion!” Kai decides he’s already finding out, he might as well fuck around a bit more.

Derek stares with something of an awed expression, looking at the shadows pulling and tugging at him, looking back to Thomas with seeming understanding, looking back to Seraphina and staring for a moment, seeming to still be processing. “Uh… What specifically?” he wonders.

“So lets speak about retribution, shall we?” Seraphina asks Annabelle. She does turn to Thomas, “Please just let him go.”

“Professor Hale, I think that’s enough,” Lola says quite, and perhaps surprisingly, sternly as she rises to her feet, pressing the palms of her hands to her desk and letting out a sigh. “We all know that Kai Ashford is the town jester. He was paid to do something to you, and it ruined your lesson,” she admits, gesturing towards Kai on the ground, who has started to soak up the attention. “My suggestion is that instead of wasting your time tormenting a man that obviously enjoys it, you perhaps instead pick up the pieces of the class we all came here to enjoy properly?” offers the blonde.

“Seeing no hands,” Thomas says, full of some satisfaction. He gestures, sharply, and with a word of power the shadows begin to recede around the bound young man. As they pull away, he looks down at Kai. “Mr. Ashford,” he tells the young man. “Our conversation is not done: but I think it will take place somewhere considerably more… personal, than in front of your fellow.” He pauses. “Still,” he says, and then he bends down to murmur something in Kai’s ear — for him alone, before the shadows fade and leave him free again.

Jasper says “Wolf…. “

Meridith(wolf) trots over to the seats after working the door with some difficulty, and sits on her heels.

Constance turns towards Meridith(wolf) with a sigh and states, “Please attend class in a human form.”

Shiloh hums softly as he lifts his bottle to his lips, taking a swig before he rises from his seat, walking off.

Derek squints as Meridith(wolf) trots into the classroom, seeming bemused by the arrival of the shifted wolf.

Wondering how on earth the door was opened by a wolf, Eloa frowns as she looks over at the wolf trotting in.

Kaelyn eyes immediately shift as the wolf comes in and suddenly in her mind the shadows were a secondary concern. The shaking gets worse as she crouches even lower into her seat.

There is a expression on Seraphina’s features as if suddenly ill. She clutches her stomach, and woozes a little. “Thank you, Mister Hale, for letting him go.”

Kai remains very still as the shadows recede, he looks around and over to Lola, “Hey I’m not enjoying /this/,” he tells her and when Thomas speaks into his ear he grimaces, but nods, muttering something in response. He then gets up and… retakes his seat, rather than head for the door.

Annabelle watches the wolf bound in, currently sat halfway down the tiered staircase- Seraphina in front of her a distance, Kai and Thomas further down.

Meridith(wolf) does seem to be attending class otherwise calmly, more or less indifferent to the scene she may have caused.

“Since when do wolves open doors?” Jasper wonders upon seeing Meridith(wolf). He notices Kaelyn with a grimace and turns to move close towards her.

Thomas straightens. “Class dismissed,” he says. This lecture, it seems — well. Perhaps it will need to be continued at some future time.

Constance has the wolf escorted ‘nicely’ off the premises, since it refused to listen to her polite command.

Derek seems distracted momentarily as the wolf is presumably escorted away. His gaze flits back to Kai, humming. “…That would be prudent.” he states softly.

“Your head okay?” Seraphina asks Kai, as if she hadn’t just witnessed an arcane battle that left him tumbling backward to hit that head.

Cristal stares, her eyes wide. “What the fuck goin on?” She rubs her eyes. “I gotta come to class more.”

“For your own health. Do you want Eloa to bandage your head?” Eloa asks as she looks up from supporting Kaelyn.

Eloa asks Kai that is.

Annabelle gawks down at Thomas, slight fangs gawking in a snarl of contemptible surprise. “I’m sorry your lecture was ruined. Being something disgusting isn’t how the wise deal with that. It’s symptomatic of disorders and you need medication.”

Kai stands up and nods at Seraphina, “Yeah, my fault, I just tripped…” he grins at her a little and glances sidelong to Thomas, “For what it’s worth, I really wanted to attend this one and I hope I can make the next one,” he calls to the professor and glances at Eloa, the light catching in his eyes, “Nah I’ll be fine soon enough,” he winks at heer.

Thomas/span>/spanKaelyn closes her eyes, settling slightly at the touch and the voice. She is still all a tremble as the wolf is escorted away, or rather, she doesn’t see this occur. Instead, when the class is dismissed she rather quickly stands and leaves the room.

Built up on adrenaline, still in some mild addle of shock, Annabelle turns around and limps back up the staircase. She’d storm out, probably, but it’s a long walk out.

“Sorry everyone!” Kai calls to the class, “I’ve decided. That this. Was a mistake. It won’t happen again, but uh… yeah.” he waves at all of them, “Sorry I fucked things up!” he then turns to try to run out of the class, glancing back to Thomas and Seraphina and Lana.

Constance comments after Kai, “Oh, the travails of a mercenary wizard,” with a mocking little snicker.

Eloa nods to Jasper as she takes out her phone to text. “Eloa will see if she wants to meet.”

“I don’t think it is medication that is needed. Perhaps a little anger management.” Seraphina says, lifting a hand up to Kai. “You didn’t, I don’t think. It was a … not quite the class expected. But perhaps one needed. It covered it all, Lana’s and Thomas’ alike.”

Sophie shakes her head and storms out, “I need a fucking swim.”

Jasper nods towards Eloa. “Right. Also, who was that wolf?

Thomas takes a breath, going to start gathering up his things. He looks over to Lana. “Miss Thompson,” he tells her. “You know, of course, that this is something we are going to have to… discuss… later.”

Eloa says “Meridith “

Constance cheerfully comments, “Haven’t the slightest idea. I’m excited to see Professor Hale let loose tomorrow when we head to the Emperor’s Bounty. Oh, shit, was it?”, she chuckles. “I didn’t know.”

Jasper says “Oh, interesting,“

Constance says “Why would she attend in a form she’s never used, I wonder.“

Constance says “Around me,a nyway.“

Lana smirks, tilting her head as she looks up to Thomas “Is it? As you like professor. I was happy to help out. And should you… End up needing it in the future, I’ll be happy to help in other ways. Should you end up needing it for some reason.” she chirps.

Derek sits staring forward for a time blankly, before he seems to ‘come to’, promptly rising from his seat and moving to depart post-dismissal.

Cristal approaches Thomas, shyly. “Hiya prof! I’m Cristal! I’m new, I just wanna say sorry for bein late’n all. I ain’t gonna make it a habit.”

“Professor Hale are you okay?” Eloa asks from her seat, collecting well her phone because she wasn’t using anything else to take notes.

Seraphina makes her way down from the seating over to the lecturn to speak with Thomas and Lana alike. Though her attention is primarily focused on Thomas. “Yes, are you okay? Kai will be totally fine. And you, of course, but –” Priorities.

“This class didn’t go quite the way I planned,” Thomas tells Cristal. He looks her over — it’s a long look, lingering on the bikini top, really. “Do you have a last name, Cristal? Cristal Luck?”

“I have been better, Miss Rodrigo,” Thomas tells Eloa, and when Seraphina makes her way down he look at her. “I will be fine,” he tells her. “It was a rather draining evening.” Then his eyes swivel to Lana.

Lana shivers a bit, that smirk fading before she says meekly “I, should get back to my office.”

“Drinks,” Seraphina says to Lana, before the woman can scuttle off!

Cristal bobs her head at Thomas. “That’s me!” she says brightly. “I just signed up, I know I’m a lil early for the new term, but I’m tryna learn as much as I can. Y’Prof Hale right?”

Lana smiles a bit to Seraphina “Oh, uhm, won’t Mr. Hale need you for anything tonight?” she asks in a softer, meeker tone.

“I am,” Thomas tells Cristal. “It is nice to meet you, Miss Luck. I spend most of my time at the Library, but apparently I need to teach some more classes,” he says with humor. He begins to make his way up to the seating, though he is pausing to talk to students as he does.

“I don’t mean right now, Lana. But soon. Also, I think I accidently wrote over your number, if you would be a doll and sent me it again!” Seraphina says to Lana. “And the only thing that Mister Hale will get out of me tonight is me sleeping. It is very late.”

Thomas tells Eloa, “It’s been a night, Miss Rodrigo. I won’t lie.” Something rueful.

Lana laughs nervously and nods to Seraphina “It is isn’t it? I hadn’t intended to go so long. I’m not certain where Sophie got the idea this class was supposed to go for another, well until now, it startled me a bit. But yes, it’s late.” she babbles “And my number is 7100373.”

“Ola professor.” Eloa shows some sympathy as she shifts seats towards the man. “Would like Eloa come with you? Eloa know you and Matias are good buddies. Will do what I can to help.”

Constance grins over at Thomas. “I can’t wait to see you let some of these emotions loose tomorrow,” she states, in a pleasant tone.

Thomas turns to look at Lana.

“Oh… speaking of that, Connie, I’ll be there too. I am looking forward to exploring El Dorado again.” Seraphina says, plugging something into her phone and then texting. “Quite the class,” she does admit.

Lana nods to Seraphina as she looks up from her phone with a smile “Test complete! Now I should get back to work, or sleep. I haven’t decided yet…”

“El Dorado?” Jasper wonders of Seraphina. “Like the fabled city of gold?”

Thomas tells Jasper, “One of the former cities between.”

Lana takes Constance’s words as a dismissal of her importance, by comparison to what’s being discussed, giving a last little wave before she darts out.

“I have fought before, but … kill people? El Dorado is not exactly populated.” Seraphina says to Constance, head tilted in curious nature.

Seraphina purses her lips softly and looks down at her hands for a short time. The palms curl to a fist, then slowly relax.

Jasper says “So there’s different cities under here. I should read all that when I get a chance.“

“Come by the library,” Thomas tells Jasper. “I can give you the basics.”

“I am heading home,” Thomas says tiredly. “Good night, all,” he says. “Miss Hawke, can you grab my books?” he asks Seraphina.

“If it means that I have to drive my sword into a man that is not the sixy third, I am not sure that I can go. I have no problems in dibilitating if needed, but –” Seraphina says, softly.

Constance says “I don’t know the kind of people the College is sending, but if it comes down to it, I expect we’d be fighting each other.“

Constance says “I know there’s rumors around town, but there’s not much time to find them, y’know?“

“If it comes to it, and they try to kill us?” Thomas asks Seraphina.

“Would you like Eloa’s company?” Eloa asks Thomas as she listens to everyone chatting around her.

Seeming to note a lecture handout she didn’t notice before, Eloa gets up from the tiered seating, shuffling a bit to make it to the end of the row. Walking down the steps, she picks one up and gives it a quick skim before shoving it into the bag. Her side slung bag is hoisted a little bit higher onto her shoulder as she makes her way back to where the professors and Constance are discussing killing people.

“Miss Rodrigo,” Thomas tells Eloa quietly. “I appreciate it, but I don’t think I will awake for terribly long,” he says to her.

“Ahh no worries professor. Matias says you’re great company so maybe some other time then when you’re awake.” Eloa gives Thomas a small smile and a bow of her head before turning to look over at Constance curiously.

“I will, but not tonight unfortunately,” Jasper admits to Thomas. “I can only be awake for a while longer.”

“I suppose that is different, given -intent-” Seraphina says to Thomas, “But overall, I have told myself … Well, I am not sure that I can consciously allow myself.” She reaches out for Thomas’s hand with a smile to Eloa. “Thanks for offering Eloa, I think that Mister Hale needs to just lay down. Speaking of, are you ready to head home?”

“Let’s,” Thomas tells Seraphina. “Good night,” he says again, and then he is off, still looking a little drained.

Constance says “Do you have any other skills that may come in handy? Identifying and disabling traps, maybe?“

“No worries Miss Hawke. Eloa is sure you’ll take good care of him but you said you were sleeping soon.” Eloa gives Seraphina a warm smile as she rubs her neck a little. “Is .. unfortunate lesson turned out like this but Eloa sure the following class would be just as exciting.”

Thomas looks back to Constance. “Miss Hawke has those skills in spades. She won’t exactly tell me how she learned them.”

Constance says “Fantastic. Then I won’t expect you to fight. Maybe you’ll be the one to bring back word after the Emperor’s Bounty claims us and all our valuables end up as lure for the next adventurers, eh?“

“When are you going on this adventure miss Lucida?” Eloa asks curiously, hazel eyes turning to Constance.

Constance says “Tomorrow, about three and a half hours ago.“

“Oh is lots of people already going? Eloa can probably go.” Eloa admits softly, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair.

Constance says “Four or five, including me. So no, not lots.“

Thomas slips out, at last, bound for bed.

“Oh, I can fight, Connie,” Seraphina says to Constance, “But I would more likely just pin a man to a wall with a riddle of arrows, than seek to pierce any major arteries.” She adds, with a small smile, “But should you all die, I will gladly take all your belongings.” She winks. Then says to Eloa, “I think both of us are heading to bed.”

“Eloa is arcanist. Have minions can send them to scout and set off traps if need. Not really willing to kill people like miss Seraphina but willing to help knock them out. And uh shadowwalk off with miss Hawke if needed.” Eloa turns to flash Seraphina a grin.

Constance raises a finger. “More importantly, the guy who hired me is a Black circle, so the artifact he wants is probably fucked up. If you have any morals when it comes to helping an evil wizard get his world-ending doomsday device or whatever, probably shouldn’t come.”

“I help Mister Hale out, so you decide,” Seraphina teases, giving Thomas’s hand a squeeze. “Lets go.”

“Oh.” That makes Eloa look considerably more reluctant, “Well okay then. Eloa no want world to end. Why um… are you helping this man?” The latina asks curiously, tilting her head a little .

Constance says “Hah! “